As with the first-generation...
As with the first-generation model, Lotus Engineering has helped with the newcomer"s development. The Norfolk firm, which is owned by Proton, has adjusted the suspension for a sporty driving experience and tweaked the 1.6-litre petrol engine.
The Englishman arrived...
The Englishman arrived at Donington Park fearing the worst: he had just been overhauled by his arch-rival, Fabrizio Giovanardi, in this year’s British Touring Car Championship title race. And to make matters worse, he was sure his SEAT would struggle to match the speed of the in-form Vauxhalls at the Derbyshire circuit.
Qualifying on Saturday did little to allay Plato’s worries – on a dry track, he could only put his lacklustre Leon into a lowly ninth on the grid. But then, on Sunday, the rain came to the rescue.
Using all of his experience, Plato splashed his way up to fifth in the first of the three races, which was won by the Team Halfords Honda Civic of Gordon Shedden. The SEAT star then went on to secure the next two rounds.
Adding to Plato’s delight, Giovanardi could only finish the first two races in his wake, and then the Italian’s Vauxhall Vectra suffered a windscreen wiper failure in round three, which forced him off the track.
“The great British summer has really played into our hands, because that’s what has made the difference,” said a jubilant Plato after his second win, which helped him to re-establish a healthy 25-point lead over Giovanardi in the championship.
“On a dry day, Donington was always going to be our bogey track, but the wet is always a great leveller. Engine performance becomes far less important, and it’s more about the car – and as we know, the Leon is equipped with a fantastic chassis.
“Bearing in mind that we came to Donington expecting it to be a case of damage limitation, we have ended up scoring a great deal of points. The team was really up for this, and to reward all the hard work it has put in with two race wins is wonderful.”
Understandably, Giovanardi was less pleased after losing so much ground to his fiercest adversary – all the more so as he’d been expecting to maximize his Vectra’s advantage at this venue. “It wasn’t a very good weekend for us,” he admitted. “I had big problems with my screen and could hardly see a thing.
“It got worse in race three when my windscreen wiper broke; I couldn’t see the track and went off. We lost many points and I’m now second in the standings – but I won’t give up. Even though I only have four weekends to catch up, I still believe I have a chance and I’m sure we will be able to attack again at Snetterton.”
The BTCC battle resumes at the Norfolk circuit with three more races on Sunday 29 July – and Snetterton is a track Plato believes will suit his SEAT come rain or shine. “We won twice at Snetterton last year, although we still need to be on our guard,” he warned. “If we can leave there ahead by a decent amount, then we will go into two of our strongest circuits on the calendar – Brands Hatch and Knockhill – in very good shape.”